140. Chen Huangpi Enters the City

The Alchemy Room of Pure Immortal Temple.

An old Daoist in a purple robe was sitting cross-legged before the Nine-Dragon Heaven-Refining Cauldron.

Inside the cauldron, purple flames surged violently.

It looked as though something was being refined within.

After stepping out of the old temple and eagerly pushing open the heavy doors of the alchemy room, this was the sight that greeted Chen Huangpi.

The only one missing was Golden Horn.

This caused him a great deal of worry.

Although Golden Horn had a rather sharp tongue, it was reliable when it mattered most, and it had rendered meritorious service to him.

As if sensing Chen Huangpi's thoughts, the purple-robed old Daoist offered words of comfort: "Rest assured, little Huangpi, Golden Horn is quite safe. Your master is simply doing it a favor; since it lacked a physical body, I am forging a brand-new one for it. Once that is done, it will be able to guard the house and watch the gates for you."

"Is that true?"

Doubtful, Chen Huangpi walked up to the alchemy cauldron and gave it a soft tap with his knuckle.

*Thud, thud, thud...*

"Golden Horn, how are you feeling?"

"I feel simply marvelous! As expected of the Great Temple Master, whose methods are boundless and far surpass those of the Second and Third Temple Masters! You are quite simply the greatest temple master in the entire world!"

With Golden Horn having said as much, Chen Huangpi had no choice but to let the matter rest.

Yet, a lingering doubt troubled his mind.

Golden Horn's tone sounded somewhat peculiar.

Could it be that it had been refined into a fool by his First Master?

Would it end up becoming a foolish dog?

At this thought, Chen Huangpi walked back to the purple-robed old Daoist and said with a worried expression, "First Master, if Golden Horn has been turned into a fool, I cannot let it guard the house for me. It might just lead thieves right into our home and let them steal my belongings."

"Your master will not refine it into a fool," the old Daoist replied, waving his hand dismissively. "It will only become increasingly spirited—just as spirited as your master."

"Look at me, am I not full of spirit?"

"Let me see."

Chen Huangpi scrutinized the purple-robed old Daoist earnestly.

Unlike his Second Master, who was eccentric and unhinged, or his Third Master, who was filled with murderous intent, his First Master truly appeared quite spirited on ordinary days.

Moreover, he looked quite benevolent as well.

It would be even better if he did not drool while speaking.

"First Master, you are indeed full of spirit."

Smiling, Chen Huangpi used his sleeve to wipe the drool from the purple-robed old Daoist's chin, but the moment he finished wiping, he froze completely.

For on the sleeve that had touched the drool, there were several strands of golden hair radiating a faint glow.

Fortunately, Golden Horn was hairless; otherwise, he would have thought Golden Horn had already been consumed by his First Master.

"By the way, how much longer must Golden Horn stay in the cauldron before it can come out?"

The purple-robed old Daoist pinched his fingers to calculate, then replied, "It is currently being roasted over high heat. Once we switch to a low fire and simmer it slowly for another seven days, the flavors should be thoroughly absorbed."

"When you make your trip to the outside world this time, remember to bring back more spices."

"First Master, how did you know I was going to the outside world? You eavesdropped on my thoughts again!"

Chen Huangpi's tone was filled with extreme displeasure.

His First Master was good in every single way.

There was only one flaw: no matter what he was thinking in his heart, his First Master could always know it clearly and distinctly.

However, the purple-robed old Daoist merely shook his head and said, "Your master is not like the Third; why would I eavesdrop on your thoughts? Besides, even if I wished to eavesdrop, your master would never stoop to such despicable methods, would he?"

"Even if I knew how, I would disdain to use them."

As he spoke, the purple-robed old Daoist's eyes darted evasively while he cupped one hand around his ear like a trumpet.

Chen Huangpi rolled his eyes.

Right. His First Master never eavesdropped.

Because he listened openly and aboveboard.

And he never bothered to conceal it.

At that very moment, the expression of the purple-robed old Daoist shifted.

The Daoist robe he wore suddenly transformed into a verdant green.

The green-robed old Daoist spoke: "The outside world is perilous. Before you depart, your master has a few words of instruction for you."

Chen Huangpi replied, "Third Master, please speak."

"You are far too kind-hearted."

The green-robed old Daoist sighed helplessly, saying, "Although the First and Second are full of wickedness, you have been cared for by them for so many years and yet remain a good person. Your master worries that you will suffer losses."

"It does not matter, Third Master."

Chen Huangpi smiled and said, "To suffer a loss is to gain a blessing; I am not afraid of suffering losses."

"Nonsense!"

The green-robed old Daoist said with displeasure, "A loss is simply a loss—what rubbish about suffering a loss being a blessing! Such words are merely invented by the beneficiaries to bamboozle others. If you believe such things, you will have been thoroughly conned."

"A good person does not necessarily meet with a good reward."

"Yet wicked people are frequently those who enjoy blessings."

These words were indeed quite apt.

Yet Chen Huangpi held a different opinion.

He said earnestly, "Third Master, suffering a loss is a blessing, and wicked people naturally have an endless supply of blessings..."

The green-robed old Daoist asked in astonishment, "Where on earth did you learn such logic?"

Chen Huangpi thought for a moment and replied, "I cannot quite remember. I have read far too many books. At any rate, that is how it is written in the books. I have perused a vast multitude of volumes, so naturally I understand these principles."

"I also know that without money, it is difficult to move a single inch."

"However, because I read extensively, within the books are houses of gold."

"I have heard there is a place called a money villa in the outside world, containing vast amounts of gold. That must surely be my house of gold."

"Splendid, magnificent!"

The green-robed old Daoist clapped his hands and laughed aloud. "Little Huangpi, your master most enjoys reasoning with others. If we encounter fools, we simply slay them with a sword. Now that you understand so many principles, and you possess your own sword, it is time to go forth and sword-execute your principles."

Chen Huangpi scratched his head.

Sword-execute, or practice?

So the character for practice shares the same sound as sword; it seems the ancients were prone to writing characters incorrectly at times as well.

...

The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains bordered the city of Xuzhou.

Yet a region stretching a hundred miles wide served as a forbidden zone.

This place was completely uninhabited, the earth scorched black.

It looked as though it had been thoroughly burned by raging fire.

At this moment, a stream of golden light burst forth from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

It descended to the ground when it was still several dozen miles away from Xuzhou City.

"Chen Huangpi, my Escaping-One Divine Light can only carry you this far."

A bronze oil lamp hung at Chen Huangpi's waist and spoke, "To travel any further inward is Xuzhou City. There are far too many deities within the city walls; if I were to swagger and carry you across openly, we would certainly be spotted by them."

Chen Huangpi replied, "I shall walk the remaining distance myself; I will arrive very shortly."

His cultivation was extraordinary now.

With merely a few dozen miles remaining, it would take him less time than it took to brew half a cup of tea to reach his destination.

Going out into the world for the very first time, Chen Huangpi felt an indescribable excitement and boundless jubilation bubbling up in his heart.

The bronze oil lamp felt much the same.

Moreover, a fox poked its head out from inside Chen Huangpi's bosom.

The fox mountain god said excitedly, "Chen Huangpi, we have finally escaped from that ghostly place!"

"Heavens, is this what the air of the outside world feels like?"

"I think I can smell the scent of freedom!"

"Hahaha! Freedom is merely the half of it!"

The bronze oil lamp could not help exclaiming in admiration, "With you and me arriving in the outside world, from this day forth it is as high as the heavens for a fox to fly, and as wide as the ocean for a lamp to leap! This is the very first time in my life I have ever left home, and I can already imagine how magnificent the outside world must be."

Chen Huangpi was equally thrilled.

However, he had not forgotten his primary objective: "Golden Horn is still inside the alchemy cauldron and will need some time before it can come out to help me search for the heretical Daoist, but I cannot make this trip in vain either."

Although the outside world was novel and strange, the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains remained his true home.

He would definitely have to return before nightfall.

Already, Chen Huangpi had made up his mind that once he finished purchasing the spices, he would ask around to see if anyone had laid eyes upon the Exalted Broad-Vision or the heretical Daoist.

The Exalted Broad-Vision was Chen Huangpi's family.

The heretical Daoist was a thorn deeply embedded in Chen Huangpi's heart.

With the Exalted Broad-Vision having fallen into the hands of the heretical Daoist, he must surely be suffering immensely.

"And my master's Daoist robe."

Chen Huangpi patted the Soul-Reaping Ledger. "Third Master told me to bring it along, though he did not specify what exactly I was supposed to do with it. When I asked him as I was leaving, he simply told me not to worry about it and just bring it with me."

The bronze oil lamp remarked, "The Third Temple Master intends to slay the sun; this Daoist robe is likely meant for dealing with the sun. However, since his old-age wisdom has commanded it thus, everything must already be arranged. You need only do as you see fit."

"I know what I am doing."

As Chen Huangpi spoke, he did not slow his pace.

His speed was immense.

By this time, he could already make out the silhouette of an incomparably colossal city in the distance.

The fox mountain god cried out in pleasant surprise, "That is Xuzhou City! Granny Tang has been here before and described the sights of this place to me. Look up at the sky—there are phantoms of deities everywhere in the heavens, and the human vitality here is so abundant."

Hearing this, Chen Huangpi raised his head and looked up.

Sure enough, above Xuzhou City, thousands of divine silhouettes could be seen seated majestically amidst the clouds.

Below them, countless wisps of hazy human vitality converged upward, forming the dark clouds upon which the deities rested.

At this sight, Chen Huangpi could not help frowning slightly.

Whether it was his First Master, Second Master, or Third Master, all of them despised deities.

Because deities sustained themselves by consuming human breath and vitality.

Once, Chen Huangpi had believed that the so-called breath they consumed was merely the scent of incense.

Yet from Song Qiuyue's memories, he had learned that this breath was, in reality, the very vitality of living human beings.

When humans had their vitality sucked away, their lifespans were naturally shortened.

Therefore, deities were utterly evil.

"How strange."

Chen Huangpi muttered to himself, "Huang Er, why are these deities not consuming human vitality? Are they not hungry?"

The bronze oil lamp urged him on: "Never mind that, hurry into the city! I have waited too long already."

"It was difficult enough to get a chance to come out, and we must return by nightfall."

"Our time is limited, and goodness knows when we might get to come out again next time."

"That is indeed true."

Without further hesitation, Chen Huangpi eagerly strode toward the city gates.

Outside these gates, numerous commoners were milling about, entering and exiting.

Yet when it was Chen Huangpi's turn, a city guard stepped forward to block his path.

"Hey, hey, hey! I'm talking to you, stop right there."

"I wish to go inside."

"Nonsense, who doesn't know you want to go inside?"

"Then why are you stopping me?"

"Because you haven't paid the toll."

The city guard stretched out a hand toward Chen Huangpi and said impatiently, "Whose child are you, lacking all sense of manners? Entering the city requires a toll fee—three copper coins per head."

"How did you know I have money?"

Chen Huangpi looked at the guard in utter astonishment.

All his wealth was stored within the Soul-Reaping Ledger, yet this guard had seen at a glance that he had money. Could it be that the other's cultivation realm was extraordinarily profound? Was he even more formidable than himself?

Yet this person's aura was clearly very weak.

Just like a tiny ant.

Giving Chen Huangpi a look as if he were looking at an idiot, the guard said, "Cut the chatter and pay up quickly, or you won't be entering the city. Also, take out everything valuable on your person so we can inspect it."

Xuzhou City was a massive stronghold.

Commoners leaving did not need to pay, but entering required a fee charged per person.

Three copper coins per head.

Aside from infants who could not yet walk, even toddlers of a single year had to pay.

If one were engaged in commerce, the toll was even higher.

Hesitating slightly, Chen Huangpi said, "Guard brother, I have far too many valuable things on my person. As the saying goes, wealth should not be flaunted; aren't you setting me up for trouble by asking this?"

"Oh? You actually have valuable things on you?"

The guard's eyes lit up, and he urged, "Quickly, take them out and let me see."

"Very well."

Helpless, Chen Huangpi had no choice but to retrieve the items he carried.

"What sort of wretched junk is this?"

Furious, the guard shouted angrily, "All you have on you is a battered oil lamp and a tattered ledger! The only thing remotely resembling something of value is this wretched little puppy you're keeping, though it hardly looks like a proper dog at all. I wouldn't even take it if you gave it to me for free."

"You penniless beggar, do you have money or not? If you have none, then go right back where you came from."

"If you do have money, hurry up and hand over the three copper coins to enter."

Chen Huangpi was so exasperated he laughed. "You actually called me a beggar? Very well, I shall pay you. But remember this: I am no beggar, and I possess vast amounts of wealth—it is merely deposited in the money villa."

With that, Chen Huangpi handed over three copper coins.

The guard accepted the coins and stared at Chen Huangpi with a bewildered expression.

He looked him up and down, feeling increasingly uncomfortable the more he watched.

Why did this kid wearing a Daoist robe feel so utterly bizarre?

"Forget it, I won't take your money."

Hesitating for a moment, the guard pulled a few copper coins from his own pocket and shoved them back into Chen Huangpi's hands along with his original three: "Once you enter the city, walk left until you find a small alley, and in that alley, there is a physician."

"You're still young; perhaps you can still be saved."